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By Mark Brassel

Bathurst is rated a Soft 5 with the rail in the TRUE position. Tuesday's forecast is for a top of 23 degrees and mostly sunny.

Local mare 8. OHANA JOY ($3.20 on TAB) has gone down narrowly at her past two starts and gets her chance to break through for a well-deserved win. It was only a bob of the heads when edged out at Narromine and she should get a charmed run with Grant Buckley aboard.

Dangers: 4. SCOPICS ($2.90 favourite) is making his debut and was doing his best work late when 4th in a Hawkesbury trial suggesting the 1300m will suit first-up. 7. CHARM FACTOR ($3.40) battled on well for 3rd at Narromine and she should relish the additional 200m. 6. BALLY BROOK ($7) turned in her best run for a while when placed at Bathurst last time but hard to get enthused with a winless record from 20 attempts.

How to play it: Ohana Joy to win

Odds and Evens: Evens

4. OVERICE ($2.40 into $2.10 fav) looks the goods after leading all the way at Goulburn before taking charge soon after straightening at Muswellbrook and holding off a wall of challengers down the stretch. David Pfieffer has this mare going super and no reason why she can’t make it a hat-trick.

Dangers: 1. EVA’S DEEL ($3.40) caught the eye running on late when 7th to Overice at Muswellbrook and gets a much stronger rider here. She’s a talented type on her day and has won a Highway (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens. 3. APHRODOTTI ($6) has been placed twice at Albury & Mudgee since winning at Goulburn in October but will find this harder than her last start in a Mudgee non-TAB race. 6. LIGHT OF ULURU ($7.50) is fitter for two runs back, the latest when 6th to Overice in that Muswellbrook race.

How to play it: Exacta 4/1-3-6

Odds and Evens: Odds

Thin race with the David Pfieffer/Alysha Collett combination to possibly make it two races straight with 6. CANADA BAY ($2.90 to $3.40). The filly was hard in the market when down the course at Newcastle in June before spelling. She poked through late along the fence when 3rd in a Warwick Farm trial and could have more upside than most here.

Dangers: Topweight 1. INVEST IN LOVE ($2.50 fav) has speed, will be in this for a long way and has been well found in the market moving into favouritism, while Bjorn Baker’s 3. SHEZANALISTER ($3.30 to $2.70) should lead and will find this an easier assignment than her last start 6th at Newcastle.

How to play it: Canada Bay to score

Odds and Evens: Split

After four placings from five starts, connections of 2. NONSHALAANT ($2.70 to $2.50 fav) look to have found the right race to break his duck. The gelding has been running in stronger races than this and despite not having raced since August, was kept up to the mark with a nice trial after sitting three-wide and finishing off well behind the winner who then won her Newcastle debut.

Dangers: The Bjorn Baker-trained 4. SWEYSIVE ($5.50 to $7.50) is yet to race but has trialled on five occasions. His 2nds in Warwick Farm & Hawkesbury trials have been full of merit and he must rate a top chance. Stablemate 3. DON PEDRO ($5 to $6) hit the line nicely in a Hawkesbury trial and any market moves on either of these debutants should prove significant. 7. EAST HARLEM ($17 to $8) is resuming and has won Bathurst & Hawkesbury trials but has drawn awkwardly.

How to play it: Exacta 2/4-3-7

Odds and Evens: Evens

4. BROOKLYN STAR ($7) is a model of consistency with three wins, two placings and a 4th from her past six starts. She looked good running home strongly to score at Warren before again hitting the line when runner-up at Narromine. The mare carries 56.5kg after the claim, a weight she’ll enjoy after lugging the steadier of 63kg when 3rd in the Picnic Champion Series Final at Dubbo three runs back.

Dangers: 3. HONEYSUCKLE CHOICE ($6) led throughout to win at Queanbeyan before 3rd at that course last time. She’ll be hard to run down with 100m less in journey and a 4kg drop in weight. Favourite 6. DE FORERUNNER ($2.60 to $2) is a promising type (5/2-2-0) and trialled nicely at Hawkesbury but prefer to see at a short quote in his first race start for 50 weeks. 5. TELL TAILS ($16 to $14) should improve sharply after one run back from a break.

How to play it: Quinella 4/3-6-5

Odds and Evens: Split

1. SINALOA ($1.90 fav) was ridden way back in the field in a stronger race at Warwick Farm last time and hit the line well to be beaten under two lengths. She had won at Hawkesbury two starts beforehand and continues to race consistently. Following some key scratchings she is into odds-on and is difficult to go past.

Dangers: 4. PAPER DAISY ($3.80) is a Joe Pride cast-off and at her first start for the new stable was run off her feet at Queanbeyan but did hold her ground to finish 2nd. The mare should have derived benefit from the run and they should post the quinella. 3. ASTROLITH ($5) goes in for third at his resumption.

How to play it: Sinaloa should win

Odds and Evens: Split

Looking to knock out the favourite with 6. POSSIBLY SO ($7) at each-way value. The gelding has raced without a great deal of luck mostly due to his racing style of getting back in the field. His record of 9/1-3-2 should be better and has not raced since August but has the benefit of two trials leading into this. Gets a 3.5kg weight pull on the favourite and that might be enough to swing the race his way.

Dangers: No doubting 2. CHEAP SHOT ($1.90 fav) is loaded with talent having won both starts at Dubbo & Bathurst impressively. He may well blow these away, however, carrying 61kg, drawing gate 8 and getting out another 200m could make it difficult. 14. COVALENT ($6) scored well at Taree and is a lightly raced filly by the all-conquering I Am Invincible so must be respected.

How to play it: Possibly So win & stand-out quinella 6/2-14

Odds and Evens: Evens

BEST BET: R2, No.4 - OVERICE ($2.10 fav)

BEST VALUE: R5, No.4 - BROOKLYN STAR ($7) & R7, No.6 - POSSIBLY SO ($7)

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Bathurst here